Every company makes promises to its customers. Those promises are communicated both verbally and in writing through the company’s website or app, brochures, ads, employee conversations, signage, mission statements, corporate filings, and a myriad of other actions and representations. Brand promises are also communicated through professional oaths and written contracts. These promises are sometimes legally-binding, but they are always socially binding. People expect companies to live up to their promises. So what happens if a company repeatedly – or worse, routinely — fails to live up to one or more of your brand promises? Continue reading →

Every day, a child makes about 3,000 decisions and an adult makes about 35,000 decisions. Most are ‘remotely conscious’ decisions about insignificant things. But some decisions really matter. As a person’s level of responsibility rises, so does the weight and volume of decisions. In business, leaders and managers must be able to assess a situation and make a sound decision quickly. But most everyone has situations where they get stuck and can’t decide due to overthinking. That’s analysis paralysis and it is quicksand for decision-making. Here’s why it happens and what to do to get “unstuck.” Continue reading →

2019 has begun and resolutions are rampant. Did you resolve to do better and be better? And how many of those resolutions have already been discarded, swept away with the confetti? Resolutions often fail because people try to go it alone, set too many precursors to starting, or create goals that are too lofty and/or expensive. Those are common mistakes but there are other obstacles as well. Don’t let these common mistakes trip up your goals for 2019! Continue reading →

It’s that time again. As the fiscal year ends, people think about what they want to improve in 2019. It’s a smorgasbord of good intentions. There is desire do better… turn over a new leaf… wipe the slate clean. Resolutions abound. Lists are made. In fact, drafting a list of resolutions is so ingrained in U.S. culture that even the government has a list of the top resolutions and provides resources for achieving them. Yet, in no time at all, 90% of all resolutions are discarded or forgotten. Why? Understanding why resolutions fail might help you keep yours. Continue reading →

All failures are not created equal. It’s one thing for an employee to try a new idea, process or project and, on occasion, get it wrong. It’s another for an employee to regularly get tasks wrong due to inability or ineptitude. It’s the difference between innovation failure and incompetence failure. When is ‘getting it wrong’ okay and when is it cause for dismissal? How can managers tell the difference? And how should they manage for that? Continue reading →

People are an organization’s single greatest asset and resource. Every leader should know and leverage the most valuable skills of each employee they manage. A key part of translating those abilities into action for the success of the organization depends on the employee’s ongoing growth and level of engagement. Not only should tasks that each employee performs for a company involve the most valuable skills they possess, managers are responsible to help employees flourish and manage the factors that influence individual and team performance. So what are the factors that affect performance and maximize utility? Continue reading →

‘Highest and best use’ — a phrase initially used by the real estate industry – communicates how the highest value for a property is based on what a property’s highest and best use can be, regardless of its actual current use. It looks at the idea of utility. But, can ‘highest and best use’ be applied to human resources as well? Ideally, all employees should work on tasks that are the highest and best use of their time based on their talents. Can a leader or manager make that happen all the time with every employee? Continue reading →

Dealing with life’s every day demands seems to require a constant output of energy. This constant outpouring of energy can cause a feeling of exhaustion, stress, fatigue and/or lack of focus. The way to overcome this involves creating a buffer to filter out the external ‘noise’. It is achieved by doing the exact opposite: being still. There are a number of major career and health benefits that come from stillness. Here are five benefits of stillness that will stop you in your tracks! Continue reading →

Business people are perpetually busy. But what if the road to success requires frequent stops at Stillville and Nothingtown? Can ‘doing nothing’ breed motivation? Does the act of “not talking and not doing” augment inspiration and creativity? Is the art of stillness actually a powerful rocket fuel for success? As counterintuitive as it sounds, scientists are finding ample professional and physical benefits in being still. Doesn’t sound logical? Here’s how it works.
Read more!
Continue reading →

A company’s slogan or tagline is supposed to be sticky… an unforgettable rallying cry for the brand. Is yours? When brand messaging isn’t clear, memorable, and impactful, chances are good that the brand is not connecting with existing clients and the brand message probably sounds like noise to prospective ones.
If a company’s slogan or tagline isn’t clever or catchy, it’s time to create one that is! Here’s how. Continue reading →